Dream Theater – Parasomnia

Ha! I bet you didn’t see that coming, but yours truly was a Dream Theater fan. It was the band that got me into Prog, the band that got me into shredding, and the only Metal band Pappa Catto ever liked (it was the first concert ticket he ever got me!). However, it’s been almost 20 years since I truly enjoyed one of its albums. Ever since Portnoy left, the band hasn’t felt Metal enough for me, but now he’s back, and it’s time to find out if Parasomnia is the comeback I’ve always wanted or just more absurd wanking. Stay put!

Let’s get something out of the way: Parasomnia is probably the best album Dream Theater has made since Black Clouds and Silver Linings and, if you’re a purist, since Octavarium. The meanness is back, the riffs punch hard again, and sure, there’s an absurd amount of instrumental wanking, but it’s the right type of wanking. The tracks have consistency and direction. Even the vocals are acceptable, which is an incredible feat—and I’m not a LaBrie hater, unlike half of the Prog community He probably reads hateful comments and laughs in Canadian.

This is definitely the darkest and most guitar-driven the band has sounded in a while, but the aggressive drumming is also back! That’s something one can’t understate. It’s like the old guys got their edge back, and I’ll take edgy DT over corny DT any day of the week. The formula is tighter than before, but don’t worry—there are still plenty of ridiculously long sections of musicians showboating to no avail. That’s what DT is about, so those who could never get into that won’t get it in Parasomnia either. If anything, the album doubles down on everything except length (because nothing can beat the absolute snoozefest that was The Astonishing).

Despite all the praise I’m throwing at Parasomnia, I still consider myself less optimistic than many of the opinions I’ve read online so far. Sure, it’s good, but it’s an album that shows the band was missing something more than it is the best thing ever. I’ve accepted decades ago that there will never be another Scenes from a Memory, and that’s okay! So, don’t expect anything revolutionary—DT is back to making engaging albums, but this is still within its comfort zone. Even if I’m thrilled to see them go “Metal” again, Prog Metal is such a complex animal today that it takes more than that to blow us away.

Anyway, my expectations were below zero, so this feels like an amazing return to form. It’s still too early to call this the comeback of the year, but it’s certainly surprising in all the right ways. I’ll need more listens to decide what to make of this epic quest properly, but for now, I can say that if you’re a fan of Prog—and most of all, a fan of DT—this is probably what you’ve been waiting for. I know for sure Pappa Catto would’ve enjoyed it. Stay out of trouble kids!

In memory of Pappa Catto, who left us all too soon.

Label: InsideOut Music

Release date: February 7, 2025

Website: https://dreamtheater.net/

Country: USA

Score: 3.7/5.0 and a 15 minute-long guitar solo